Commissioners discuss education, law enforcement funding

Published: Wednesday, January 15, 2014 at 6:59 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, January 15, 2014 at 6:59 p.m.

The Henderson County Board of Commissioners voted 5-0 to choose Clark Nexsen as the county's “architect of record” and agreed to pay the Norfolk, Va.-based firm $118,100 to plan renovations at Hendersonville High, Edneyville and Upward elementaries and Balfour Education Center.

Superintendent David Jones said all four schools need major upgrades and expansions, but added that specific costs won't be known until architects formulate options. At Hendersonville High, he said there is only enough room in core areas for 514 of the 700 students enrolled. The two elementary schools still house students in “mobile classrooms.”

Commissioner Larry Young said the county needs to accomplish as many school capital projects as they can while there is a window of low interest rates and per-square-foot construction costs. He favored 20-year financing and and plans that accommodate more enrollment than anticipated.

Molly Parkhill, president of Blue Ridge Community College, told commissioners that trustees have identified about $959,000 in capital needs, including $419,000 in deferred maintenance. Commissioner Grady Hawkins said the county should tackle as much of that backlog as possible, since “the longer you defer those, the costlier it gets.”

Public safety

Sheriff Charlie McDonald didn't have a specific dollar request for commissioners, but he spelled out a number of broad needs on the horizon. He said he needs a school resource officer and one other deputy to help cover patrols and animal control duties, which are increasing partly due to new state legislation.

Another “big ticket” item, McDonald said, is $20,000 worth of SWAT vests that need to be replaced.

Asked by County Manager Steve Wyatt about how able he is to recruit qualified deputies, McDonald said finding young law enforcement graduates isn't difficult, but ideally he needs the ability to offer better pay to draw mature, experienced officers from other agencies.

McDonald said a new vetting process he implemented to “limit risk and reduce liability” has resulted in 83 percent of applicants “washing out. It's not that we're unreasonably restrictive. It really isn't. It's that we're looking for people I can trust to go out and wear my name and provide the public service that you guys need.”

After hearing last month about space needs at the Henderson County Rescue Squad's headquarters, commissioners asked county staff to develop a Memorandum of Understanding to allow the squad temporary use of the former Boyd Automotive service garage on Asheville Highway.

The county bought the property for future use in expanding Hendersonville High. With a little cleanup by volunteers, Rescue Squad Chief Jimmy Brissie said the garage could hold trailers and disaster equipment currently stored outside at the squad's William Street facility, giving them “a little breathing room” until new space develops.

Wyatt suggested the squad and EMS officials work with a facilitator to develop options for meeting long-term space needs of both organizations, coming back next January with a request. But commissioners Tommy Thompson and Charlie Messer urged a stepped-up process that gets the ball rolling in 2014.

Dana wells

Environmental Health Supervisor Seth Swift updated commissioners about a project to extend Hendersonville water lines to Dana neighborhoods affected by pesticide contamination in their wells. Bids for the project will be unsealed the last week of January and the city hopes to start construction March 1, he said. Work will last perhaps 10 months.

“And the second piece of good news is they're actually going to run water lines all up and down Academy Road and the sub-roads off of Blue House (Road),” Swift said. “So even the areas that were not showing contamination, they're going to run lines into the roads like Largo (Lane) and Meadow Woods.”

<p>The Henderson County Board of Commissioners voted 5-0 to choose Clark Nexsen as the county's “architect of record” and agreed to pay the Norfolk, Va.-based firm $118,100 to plan renovations at Hendersonville High, Edneyville and Upward elementaries and Balfour Education Center.</p><p>Superintendent David Jones said all four schools need major upgrades and expansions, but added that specific costs won't be known until architects formulate options. At Hendersonville High, he said there is only enough room in core areas for 514 of the 700 students enrolled. The two elementary schools still house students in “mobile classrooms.”</p><p>Commissioner Larry Young said the county needs to accomplish as many school capital projects as they can while there is a window of low interest rates and per-square-foot construction costs. He favored 20-year financing and and plans that accommodate more enrollment than anticipated.</p><p>Molly Parkhill, president of Blue Ridge Community College, told commissioners that trustees have identified about $959,000 in capital needs, including $419,000 in deferred maintenance. Commissioner Grady Hawkins said the county should tackle as much of that backlog as possible, since “the longer you defer those, the costlier it gets.”</p><p><b>Public safety</b></p><p>Sheriff Charlie McDonald didn't have a specific dollar request for commissioners, but he spelled out a number of broad needs on the horizon. He said he needs a school resource officer and one other deputy to help cover patrols and animal control duties, which are increasing partly due to new state legislation.</p><p>Another “big ticket” item, McDonald said, is $20,000 worth of SWAT vests that need to be replaced. </p><p>Asked by County Manager Steve Wyatt about how able he is to recruit qualified deputies, McDonald said finding young law enforcement graduates isn't difficult, but ideally he needs the ability to offer better pay to draw mature, experienced officers from other agencies.</p><p>McDonald said a new vetting process he implemented to “limit risk and reduce liability” has resulted in 83 percent of applicants “washing out. It's not that we're unreasonably restrictive. It really isn't. It's that we're looking for people I can trust to go out and wear my name and provide the public service that you guys need.”</p><p>After hearing last month about space needs at the Henderson County Rescue Squad's headquarters, commissioners asked county staff to develop a Memorandum of Understanding to allow the squad temporary use of the former Boyd Automotive service garage on Asheville Highway.</p><p>The county bought the property for future use in expanding Hendersonville High. With a little cleanup by volunteers, Rescue Squad Chief Jimmy Brissie said the garage could hold trailers and disaster equipment currently stored outside at the squad's William Street facility, giving them “a little breathing room” until new space develops.</p><p>Wyatt suggested the squad and EMS officials work with a facilitator to develop options for meeting long-term space needs of both organizations, coming back next January with a request. But commissioners Tommy Thompson and Charlie Messer urged a stepped-up process that gets the ball rolling in 2014.</p><p><b>Dana wells</b></p><p>Environmental Health Supervisor Seth Swift updated commissioners about a project to extend Hendersonville water lines to Dana neighborhoods affected by pesticide contamination in their wells. Bids for the project will be unsealed the last week of January and the city hopes to start construction March 1, he said. Work will last perhaps 10 months.</p><p>“And the second piece of good news is they're actually going to run water lines all up and down Academy Road and the sub-roads off of Blue House (Road),” Swift said. “So even the areas that were not showing contamination, they're going to run lines into the roads like Largo (Lane) and Meadow Woods.”</p>